oobifandomcom-20200216-history
TV Guide
TV Guide is a bi-weekly magazine that offers TV news and cable listings. The issue from August 9, 2004 had an article about Oobi called "No Strings Attached." It was an interview with Stephanie D'Abruzzo, who played Uma, and the show's creator Josh Selig. It was written by Bruce Fetts. The issue from April 10, 2005 also featured an article called "Make Room for Daddy" where a dad recommended four kids' shows, one being Oobi. It was written by Robert Edelstein. Excerpts *'No Strings Attached:' All that the puppeteers of lovable, low-tech Oobi ask is that little kids lend an ear. Give Josh Selig a hand. The creator of Oobi (the second season premieres Monday, 9/6, 11:30 am/ET, on Noggin) devised some of the simplest but most wonderful characters to appear on TV since Señor Wences went on Ed Sullivan. Preschoolers have no problem believing bare hands with Ping Pong ball eyes are actually 4-year-old Oobi, friend Kako, grandpa Grampu and kid sister Uma. For Selig, Oobi is the latest success in a career that has included 10 Emmys for his writing on Sesame Street—where he also made his screen debut at age 4. "As a kid, I didn't understand it wasn't real," Selig recalls. "I was amazed they were able to get a street inside a building." Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Uma) was equally amazed when she was asked to pose for a photo with Oobi fan Uma Thurman backstage at the puppeteer's Broadway show Avenue Q. "I rolled up my sleeve and put my hand up," D'Abruzzo says. "So I have a picture of Uma and Uma." Correction Stephanie D'Abruzzo wrote a correction to the "No Strings Attached" article on her website: :We were shooting Season 2 of Oobi and I was doing double duty - Oobi by day, AVENUE Q by night. One night, Uma Thurman came backstage after seeing Q and I asked for a photo with her, as did everyone else in the cast. After someone took a photo of the two of us for me, I asked for one more...and told her I’d explain after. I rolled up my sleeve and put up my hand (thinking that I would Photoshop eyes on my hand later so I could have a photo of Uma and Uma) and a second shot was taken. Then this exchange occurred: :ME: See, the reason I did that was because I play a character named Uma on a show called “Oobi,” which is actually just my hand with eyes on it --'' :''MS. THURMAN: Oh, I know who Uma is. :ME: Really?!? Oh wow! :And that was about it. :The next morning, I went to the “Oobi” set and told everyone how “Uma” had met Uma...without exaggeration. There happened to be some Noggin execs there that day. They were very happy. :A few months after “Oobi” wrapped, I was interviewed via phone for a TV Guide article. I was immediately asked about the Uma-Uma story. I suppose someone had tipped them off. Anyway, I told the story, again, without exaggeration. :Imagine my chagrin when I read the article above, published months later, which basically told the readers that Uma Thurman had asked me to take a photo with her because she was a fan. Not true, gentle readers. NOT TRUE. In fact, damned unbelievable. I mean come ON. How the hell does that happen? A movie star asking some unknown puppeteer for a photo? :To be fair, my quote is indeed my actual quote, just taken out of context. But everything else regarding the Uma story is an incorrect, false, making-the-story-more-interesting-than-it-actually-is inference. :Worse, the article has become a source that people cull from as fact about myself, the character, the show, and Uma Thurman. Again, folks, I APPROACHED HER. Not the other way around. :So I formally apologize to Ms. Uma Thurman. I stress that I never once implied that you were some sort of rabid fan of mine or the show. Oh, what you must thought of me. That is, if in fact you gave it any thought at all. Category:Media appearances